Recent rapid advances in molecular biology have created more demand for high volume testing based on the need to screen ever larger compound libraries, validate ever increasing numbers of genetic markers and test ever more diversified patient populations. This has led to the development of new array formats, particularly for nucleic acid and protein-protein interaction analysis, which increase parallel processing by performing requisite assays in a “multiplexed” format.
Conventionally, such assays are performed by producing arrays of nucleic acids and antibodies by way of “spotting” or “printing” of aliquot solutions on filter paper, blotting paper or other substrates. However, notwithstanding their widespread current use in academic research targeting gene expression and protein profiling, arrays produced by spotting have shortcomings, particularly in applications placing high demands on accuracy and reliability and where large sample volume and high throughput is required. In another more recently developed technique, spatially encoded probe arrays are produced by way of in-situ photochemical oligonucleotide synthesis. However, this technology is limited in practice to producing short oligonucleotide probes—and requiring alternative technologies for the production of cDNA and protein arrays—and precludes rapid probe array customization given the time and cost involved in the requisite redesign of the photochemical synthesis process.
In addition to these inherent difficulties in assay performance, spatially encoded arrays produced by methods of the art generally produce data of such poor quality that specialized scanners are required to extract data of useable quality. Commercial systems available for this purpose require confocal laser scanning—a slow process which must be repeated for each desired signal color—and limit the spatial resolution to ˜5 μm.
In order to resolve many of the problems associated with diagnostic and analytical uses of “spotted arrays” of oligonucleotides and proteins (as outlined in “Multianalyte Molecular Analysis Using Application-Specific Random Particle Arrays,” U.S. application Ser. No. 10/204,799, filed on Aug. 23, 2002; WO 01/98765), arrays of oligonucleotides or proteins arrays can be formed by displaying these capture moieties on chemically encoded microparticles (“beads”) which are then assembled into planar arrays composed of such encoded functionalized carriers. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/271,602 “Multiplexed Analysis of Polymorphic Loci by Concurrent Interrogation and Enzyme-Mediated Detection,” filed Oct. 15, 2002, and Ser. No. 10/204,799 supra.
Microparticle arrays displaying oligonucleotides or proteins of interest can be assembled by light-controlled electrokinetic assembly near semiconductor surfaces (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,468,811; 6,514,771; 6,251,691) or by a direct disposition assembly method (previously described in Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/343,621, filed Dec. 28, 2001 and in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/192,352, filed Jul. 9, 2002).
To perform nucleic acid or protein analysis, such encoded carrier arrays are placed in contact with samples anticipated to contain target polynucleotides or protein ligands of interest. Capture of target or ligand to particular capture agents displayed on carriers of corresponding type as identified by a color code produces, either directly or indirectly by way of subsequent decoration, in accordance with one of several known methods, an optical signature such as a fluorescence signal. The identity of capture agents including probes or protein receptors (referred to herein sometimes also collectively as “receptors”) generating a positive assay signal can be determined by decoding carriers within the array.
These microparticle arrays can exhibit a number of spectrally distinguishable types of beads within an area small enough to be viewed in a microscope field. It is possible to achieve a high rate of image acquisition because the arrays obviate the need for confocal laser scanning (as used with spotted or in-situ synthesized arrays) and instead permit the use of direct (“snapshot”) multicolor imaging of the entire array under a microscope. If the system could be automated further, such that, for example, the microscope is automatically repositioned to optimally capture images from multiple arrays present on a multichip carrier and to positions optimizing decoding of the array, this would facilitate unattended acquisition of large data lots from multiplexed assays.
In one format using microbead arrays, the encoding capacity of a chip (which includes several distinct subarrays) can be increased even where using the same set of color codes for the beads in each subarray. When subarrays are spatially distinct, the encoding capacity becomes the product of the number of bead colors and the number of subarrays.
In order to match the rates of data acquisition enabled by direct imaging, rapid and robust methods of image processing and analysis are required to extract quantitative data and to produce encrypted and compact representations suitable for rapid transmission, particularly where there is off-site analysis and data storage. Transmission of data should be secure, and should be accessible only by authorized parties, including the patient but, because of privacy concerns, not to others.